Daily Current Affairs Quiz: July 07, 2022

ANSWER: C

• Haryana is promoting dragon fruit cultivation by giving Rs 1,20,000 per acre grant for dragon fruit orchards.
• According to additional chief secretary, agriculture and farmers’ welfare department, a special grant scheme has been implemented by the government to encourage the cultivation of dragon fruit. Dragon fruit is in great demand in the market due to which farmers can make good profits by cultivating this fruit.
• There is a provision of a grant of Rs. 1,20,000 per acre for the dragon fruit orchard. In which Rs. 50,000 is for planting saplings and Rs.70,000 per acre for trawling system. For planting saplings, a grant of Rs. 50,000 will be given in three instalments of Rs. 30,000 in the first year, Rs. 10,000 in the second year, and Rs. 10,000 in the third year.
• The farmers can get good profits by planting more orchards of different kinds of fruit. While establishing orchards saves water, fruit orchards help in increasing the income of the farmers.
• Under this scheme, a farmer can avail of the facility of the grant of up to a maximum of 10 acres. To get the grant, it is mandatory for the farmers to register on the ‘Meri Fasal-Mera Byora’ portal.
• The grant will be given on a ‘first come-first serve’ basis. Farmers can take advantage of the scheme by applying on the website of the horticulture department.

ANSWER: B

• Typhoon is a regionally specific name for a strong Tropical Cyclone.
• A tropical cyclone is a generic term used by meteorologists to describe a rotating, organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originates over tropical or subtropical waters and has closed, low-level circulation.
• A typhoon made landfall in Japan’s Nagasaki prefecture, bringing with it torrential downpours and thunder amid unstable atmospheric pressure in the eastern and northern parts of the country.
• The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has warned that Aere could trigger landslides, rough seas, flooding in low-lying areas as rivers breach their banks, as well as warning of thunder and lightning strikes.
• The slow-moving typhoon that is forecast to be downgraded to an extratropical low-pressure system, is moving slowly eastward toward western and central parts of Japan.
• Typhoon Aere, had an atmospheric pressure of 1,000 hectopascals at its center and was packing winds up to 90 km per hour.
• The Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre (RSMC) Tokyo – Typhoon Centre assigns the name for a tropical cyclone.

ANSWER: C

• Plant Based Foods Industry Association (PBFIA), with the support of the Nagpur Dall Millers Cluster, will set up a plant protein cluster in Nagpur, Maharashtra.
• According to a statement from the association, the cluster will aim to make India a credible global supplier of plant proteins.
• Nagpur is a strategic location because of the availability of raw materials, workforce and land.
• Plant based food market is expected to grow from ₹2,000 crores in 2022 to ₹40,000 crores by 2032.
• Eat Just, a US ­based producer of plant-based egg alternatives, procures its main ingredient — mung beans (indigenous to the Indian subcontinent) —from Myanmar rather than the main producer, India.
• The plant-based food can enhance the export potential.
• APEDA is working to create export standards for vegan products to address the huge overseas opportunity, based on the principle of ‘Ahimsa Parmo Dharma’, increasing farmers’ income and addressing climate change.

ANSWER: D

• United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has appointed Indian Army’s Lieutenant General Mohan Subramanian as the new Force Commander of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), succeeding fellow officer Lieutenant General Shailesh Tinaikar.
• Lt General Subramanian has a distinguished military career with the Indian Army spanning over 36 years. Most recently, he served as the General Officer Commanding, Military Region (Operational and Logistic Readiness Zone) in central India, contributing to the Army’s operational and logistic preparedness.
• In addition to Lt. Gen Subramanian’s appointment, India has provided fifteen Force Commanders, two military advisors, one deputy military advisor to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, two divisions commanders and eight Deputy Force Commanders in various United Nations missions.

What is the UNMISS?

• In 2011, South Sudan gained independence and became a new country. The creation of South Sudan marked the end of a deadly conflict spanning more than 20 years and a civil war between the Government of Sudan and the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM).
• However, assessing the security situation in South Sudan as volatile and posing a threat to international peace even after its independence, the UNMISS was first established in 2011 under Security Council Resolution 1996.
• The mission has four main pillars which include protecting civilians, and creating conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance. It also supports the implementation of the “revitalised agreement and the peace process” and monitors, investigates, and reports on violations of humanitarian and human rights law.
• Since its inception, the Security Council resolution has been renewed every year with the UN body maintaining that the situation in South Sudan continues to pose a threat to global security. In fact, this year, the Security Council Resolution 2625 was adopted to renew the UNMISS till 15 March 2023.
• India for decades has had a strong association and presence with UN peacekeeping missions. Since 1948, over 2,00,000 Indians have served in 49 UN peacekeeping missions. Currently, India has a presence in eight out of fourteen UN peacekeeping missions, with 5,400 military personnel serving.

ANSWER: A

• The Environment (Protection) Act (EPA)was enacted in 1986 with the objective of providing the protection and improvement of the environment.
• The Environment Ministry proposes to soften the provisions of the Environment Protection Act (EPA) by replacing a clause that provides for imprisoning violators with one that only requires them to pay a fine. This, however, doesn’t apply to violations that cause grave injury or loss of life. The proposed fines, in lieu of imprisonment, are also 5-500 times greater than those currently levied.
• The Act currently says that violators will be punishable with imprisonment up to five years or with a fine up to ₹1 lakh, or with both. Were violations to continue, an additional fine of up to ₹5,000 for every day during which such failure or contravention continues after the conviction would be levied. There’s also a provision for jail terms to extend to seven years.
• According to Ministry, the rationale governing the amendments, to decriminalise existing provisions of the EPA to weed out “fear of imprisonment for simple violations”.
• The two major changes proposed are appointing an “adjudication officer” who would decide on a penalty in cases of environmental violations such as reports not being submitted or information not provided when demanded. However, in case of serious violations which lead to grievous injury or loss of life, they shall be covered under the provision of Indian Penal Code, 1860 read with Section 24 of EP Act.
• Funds collected as penalties would be accrued in an “Environmental Protection Fund”.
• In case of contraventions of the Act, the penalties could extend to anywhere from ₹5 lakh to ₹5 crore, the proposal notes.
• The removal of prison terms also applies to the Air Act, that is the cornerstone legislation for dealing with air pollution, and the Water Act, which deals with violations to water bodies.

ANSWER: B

• Services activities are on rise as Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 59.2 in June
• This is highest mark since April 2011. Service sector has a share of over 53 per cent in gross value added. PMI is based on survey and data compiled by S&P Global.
• India’s services activity expanded again in June, with the S&P Global India Services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) coming in at 59.2.
• A reading above 50 indicates expansion in activity, while a sub-50 print is a sign of contraction.
• Services firms noted a substantial upturn in new work intakes at the end of the first fiscal quarter, with the rate of increase improving to the best in over 11 years.
• According to, economics associate director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, Demand for services improved to the greatest extent since February 2011, supporting a robust economic expansion for the sector over the first quarter of FY23 and setting the scene for another substantial upturn in output next month.

ANSWER: B

• Tunisia’s world No.2 tennis player Ons Jabeur rallied from a set down to defeat Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic 3-6, 6-1, 6-1 at Wimbledon to become the first Arab or North African woman to reach a Grand Slam singles semifinal.
• Across both men’s and women’s tennis, Arabs and North Africans were previously winless in major quarterfinals in the Open Era, including two losses by Jabeur herself; she lost to eventual champion Sofia Kenin at the 2020 Australian Open, and Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka at Wimbledon 12 months ago.

ANSWER: B

• Reigning youth world champions Alfiya Pathan and Gitika produced sensational performances to win gold medals at the inaugural edition of the Elorda Boxing Cup in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.
• Kalaivani Srinivasan and Jamuna Boro signed off with silver.
• With the addition of two gold, two silver and 10 bronze, India concluded its campaign with an overall tally of 14 medals.
• Alfiya got a unanimous 5-0 verdict over Lazzat Kungeibayeva, the 2016 world champion, in the women’s 81kg category final.
• Gitika, clinched a 4-1 victory over compatriot Kalaivani in 48kg category final.

ANSWER: C

• Darla gram panchayat in the district has established the Aadi Shiv Dham on barren land at a cost of over Rs 60 lakh. The panchayat started the development of the dham about 18 months ago and it is nearing completion.
• A number of idols of Lord Shiva have been installed in the dham, including a bust of Lord Shiva, Shivalingam, 31-feet Trishul and Nandi on the entrance.
• According to Panchayat Pradhan, the objective of constructing the dham is to establish a religious, cultural and small business centre to attract tourists and generate job opportunities for self-help groups of the area.
• Members of the panchayat approved the proposal to develop the land into a tourist spot and the block development authority also supported the initiative.
• The most of the work was done under MGNREGA and with convergence of other rural development schemes.
• According to Panchayat vice-president, that besides government funding, lakhs of rupees were contributed by locals.

ANSWER: B

• Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Piyush Goyal released the first edition of State Ranking Index for NFSA during the conference of Food Ministers of States and Union Territories on Food Nutrition and Security in India organized by Department of Food and Public Distribution at New Delhi.
• Himachal has obtained second position in the special category states and union territories for implementation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
• According to the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rajinder Garg that, Himachal Pradesh had scored the second position in the category of small states and despite the logistical limitations and also the state displayed a high degree of accomplishment in competing with the general category states as well.